Relatives

Isatis tinctoria
L. - Woad.

Taxonomic position.

Morphology and biology.

Biennial plant, 70-80 cm tall. Bottom leaves are acutate, oblong-lanceolate, pilose, smooth-edged or serrated. Middle and upper leaves are linear, acute, narrow and arrow-shaped. Inflorescence is sparse, paniculate. Petals are yellow, 3-4.5 mm in length. Silicles are bare, 3-4 times longer than they are wide, 13-16 mm long and 3-4 mm wide, oblong linear with a wedge-shaped base, obtuse or emarginate; the core is thin, somewhat ribbed. Blossoms in June; bears fruit in August. Entomophilous. Chromosome number is unknown.

Distribution.

Occurs throughout Central, Eastern, and Atlantic Europe. Within the former USSR, the specie occurs throughout the European part (Middle Dnieper, Volga-Don, Upper and Lower Volga, Near-Black-Sea, Lower Don, Trans-Volga and Crimean areas); the Caucasus (Ante-Caucasus, southern Trans-Caucasus and Daghestan); and Middle Asia (Aral-Caspian and Near-Balkhash areas).

Ecology.

Occurs near seacoasts, on steppes, and on dry hills and hillsides; rare adventitious plants occur along railroads.